2017 Paris Nice 5-12 March

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['Dale]

Stage 7.

 

The peloton is still navigating the lengthy neutralised zone. The temperature is a pleasant 17 degrees at sea level, but will undoubtedly be chillier atop the Col de la Couillole at the finish. There are four climbs on the agenda today:the category 2 Côte de Gattières (4.5km at 4.8%), the category 1 Col de Vence (9.7km at 6.6%), the category 1 Col Saint-Martin (7.5km at 7.2%), and the finish atop the Col de la Couillole (15.7km at 7.1%).

['Dale]

An early group of escapees punch clear on the first climb. Jan Polanc (UAE-Emirates), Axel Domont (Ag2r La Mondiale), Omar Fraile (Dimension Data), Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) and Delio Fernandez (Delko-Marseille) have established a lead of a minute over the peloton.

['Dale]

Domont leads the king of the mountains classification, and he is looking to pick up points on the early climbs to buttress his slender advantage over Simon Yates (Orica-Scott).

['Dale]

167km remaining from 177km

Calmejane beats Domont in the sprint for the maximum 7 points atop the Cote de Gattieres. Polanc, winner at Abetone on the 2015 Giro, is third over the summit. The break's advantage stands at 1:05.

['Dale]

152km remaining from 177km

 

The five escapees are tackling the Col de Vence with a lead of 4:45 over the peloton. Perichon continues to give chase alone, but he is two minutes down on Domont et al.

['Dale]

140km remaining from 177km

 

At the head of the race, Calmejane and Domont are locked in a battle for the king of the mountains points atop the Col de Vence. The break's lead has dropped slightly to 4:10.

['Dale]

138km remaining from 177km

 

Calmejane escapes alone on the upper slopes of the Col de Vence. The Frenchman is first to the summit, 30 seconds clear of Domont and 4:10 up on the peloton.

['Dale]

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Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step) is looking to become the first French winner since Laurent Jalabert took the third of his Paris-Nice victories some twenty years ago.

['Dale]

REMINDER

 

The general classification with two days remaining is as follows:

 

1 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 21:58:22

2 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:00:36

3 Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky 0:00:46

4 Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:57

5 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:01:20

6 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:01:31

7 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:34

8 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:01:37

9 Jon Izaguirre (Spa) Bahrain-Merida 0:02:04

10 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Sunweb 0:03:08

['Dale]

135km remaining from 177km

 

Calmejane, who won a Vuelta a Espana stage in his debut season last year, has carried that form into the beginning of the current campaign. The Etoile des Besseges winner commits to pressing on alone here. He now has a 50-second lead over his erstwhile companions, while the bunch is 4:10 back.

['Dale]

The descent off the Col de Vence is a long one, and Calmejane sits up to wait for the rest of the break. Meanwhile, Perichon's lone chase has paid off as he bridges up to the escapees. There are now six riders on the front with a lead of 3:40 over the peloton.

['Dale]

Nobody in this break poses the merest threat to the general classification. The highest placed rider is Delio Fernandez, who is some 36:19 down in 57th position overall.

['Dale]

124km remaining from 177km

 

The escapees have come through Buyon at the base of the descent with a lead of 3:40 over the peloton. They are some 80 kilometres from the day's next categoirsed climb, the category 1 Col Saint-Martin.

['Dale]

 

80km remaining from 177km

 

Team Sky have led the peloton in recent kilometres as the road continues to drop and the pace ratchets upwards. The gap to the break stands at 3:35.